Kinetic Mosaic Art

Chantal Menhem

June 1, 2016

Contemporary & Modern Art

4 min read

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Kinetic Mosaic Art

Kinetic art combines motion with visual art, categorized into virtual movement (optical illusions) and real movement powered by natural forces like wind, solar energy, gravity, or magnetism.
Key pioneers such as Naum Gabo and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy advanced kinetic art by integrating electric machinery into 3D artworks, establishing kineticism as a major modern art movement in the 1950s.
Kinetic mosaics revive Constructivism by using dark tiles to create sharp shadows and defined shapes within a three-dimensional horizon, enhancing the perception of movement.
Notable kinetic mosaic artists include Andrew Myers, Ruth Minola Scheibler, Thomas Denker, and Mia Tavonatti, whose works often feature dynamic illusions and naturalistic motion effects.
Major collections of kinetic art are housed in prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Whitney Museum of American Art, Jean Tinguely Museum in Basel, Pompidou Centre in Paris, and Tate Modern in London.

Cover Photo: Dino Maccini

Kinetic Mosaics: The Art of Movement

“Just as one can compose colors, or forms, so one can compose motions.”

Looking for new ways to understand mosaics?

Have you yet explored the enthralling movement in kinetic mosaic artworks?

In visual art, the term kinetic art, derived from the Greek word “kinesis”, refers to works that incorporate an apparent movement. Thus, for instance, it may include mosaic art, defined by its unique aspect of integrating motion into its splendor and purpose. Unlike traditional mosaic art, kinetic mosaics are created by a combination of both, accurate details and natural flaws.

In this article you will discover what kinetic art is really about and how to understand this art movement!

Screw Kinetic Mosaics | Courtesy of Andrew Myers

The Art Story: Kinetic Art

Kinetic art is usually divided into two major sections:

Virtual movement: Optical Illusion Movement.
Real movement: Movement that occurs within the illusion or moves through either independent means or visual manipulation.

Most Kinetic artists prefer to fuse their work with the forces of nature, i.e. wind, solar power, gravity or magnetism to power their works.

In the early days of Kineticism, most artworks were influenced by geometric compositions. The interest in this art form and concept dates back to 1913 during the Dada and Constructivist movements. Although its history is unfathomable, it wasn’t established as a major artistic movement until the 1950s.

Kineticism has been around since the early 20th century but it didn’t become a modern art form until a few artists, including Naum Gabo and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy initiated the use of electric machinery in their 3D artworks.

Goldrush – Mosaic Crystal Bees | Courtesy of Ruth Minola Scheibler

Which mosaic technique is associated with Kineticism ?

The main idea of kineticism is revive the tradition of Constructivism, or Constructive art, the challenge is to make the constructive movement obvious to the eyes of the beholder. Therefore, using bright colors was swapped by dark tiles to create clear-cut shadows and motion. In order to create a kinetic mosaic artwork, defined shapes has to be created within a three-dimensional horizon.

Sand Ionic – Courtesy of Thomas Denker

Major Collections

Today, the Kinetic art movement seems less a pressing influence for artists than a resource for ideas.

Major collections of Kinetic art can be seen in some of the best art museums in the world, including:

• Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

• Fine Art Museums of San Francisco

• Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

• Jean Tinguely Museum, Basel

• George Pompidou Centre, Paris (Musee National d’Art Moderne)

• Tate Modern, London

This mosaic installation is a very good example of a mosaic which creates a kinetic illusion. The mosaic illustrates a wave motion in a cohesive structure, creating the aforementioned illusion leaving us with the impression of the up-welling movement in the ocean.